Ubisoft confirmed that Assassin’s Creed Mirage will feature microtransactions, in addition to offering some more details about its monetization plans for the upcoming game. The return of this controversial feature to Assassin’s Creed Mirage was first leaked by a prolific Ubisoft dataminer in early August.

Since the developer has long been open about how Mirage is meant to be a homage to the first Assassin’s Creed, many fans were hoping that would make the game free of microtransactions, which were originally introduced to the series in 2012 with the release of its third numbered installment. Those post-launch monetization attempts have gotten progressively more aggressive over the years, especially after 2017’s Assassin’s Creed Origins transitioned the franchise to the full-fledged ARPG formula which resulted in grindier gameplay that made paid shortcuts more tempting to players.

And though Assassin’s Creed Mirage will also feature microtransactions, Ubisoft claims that such paid content will have no impact on its gameplay loop. In a statement provided to TrueAchievements, the company said that microtransactions in the upcoming game will be limited to cosmetic packs that won’t affect player progression, thus being entirely optional. The comment did not reflect on the recent rumors that Assassin’s Creed Mirage will feature real gambling, which are largely based on its Xbox store listing that makes a passing mention of “paid contests” and wagering.

Ubisoft, however, did reiterate the fact that Assassin’s Creed Mirage won’t have the XP-based leveling system from the last three mainline installments in the series, with the implication being that the fandom can expect a story-driven experience free of grinding and microtransactions offering to shorten such glacial progression. Paid DLC in the form of additional quests is also unlikely to be part of the game’s roadmap, as Assassin’s Creed Mirage won’t have substantial post-launch support, with Ubisoft Creative Director Stephane Boudon saying as much back in July.

The developer has yet to clarify on the volume of the cosmetic bundles that it’s planning to include in the upcoming game. The last three mainline entries offered dozens of such packs each, but Ubisoft’s newly shared comments imply that Assassin’s Creed Mirage will tone down that practice.

The only known cosmetic bundle from the game that surfaced online so far was the Fire Demon Pack. According to the aforementioned August leak, that collection will contain a flaming sword, full set of armor, and a chamfron mask for horses. Its pricing remains a mystery, but assuming Assassin’s Creed Mirage inherits the Helix Credits system from its immediate predecessors, a single cosmetic pack will plausibly set players back between 500 and 800 credits, worth up to $5 and $8, respectively.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage launches October 12 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Source: TrueAchievements